FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, COOM ER and M A R KLE, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

June 27, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A0 08 2 . EDW A RDS v . M OORE et al

.

M A R K LE

, J ud g e.

Au d ra Ed ward s b ro u g h t t h i s l eg al m al p ract i ce act i o n ag ai n s t h er d i v o rce

at t o rn ey s

, Tracy An n M oo re d / b/ a Tracy An n M o o re, P. C., an d Ban k s & St u b b s

, LLP

n / k / a Ban k s

, St u b bs & M c F a r l a nd, L L P ( c olle c tive ly

, “ D efen d an t s ”), al l eg in g t h at s h e

was wro n g fu l l y d en i ed al im o n y d u e t o t h ei r n eg l i g en t m i s han d l in g o f h er cas e. Sh e

ap p eal s fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er g ran t i n g s um m ary ju d g m en t t o De f e n d a n t s an d

d en y i n g h er m o t io n fo r p art i al s u m m ary ju d g m en t as to Defen d an t s’ l iab i li t y

. Fi n d i n g

n o erro r, we affi rm

.

Su m m ary j u d gm en t i s ap p ro p ri at e wh en t h ere i s no g en u i n e i s su e o f

m at eri al fact an d t h e m o van t i s en t i t l ed to ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw.

In rev i ewi n g t h e g ran t o r d en i al o f a m o ti on fo r s u m m ary j u d gm en t, we

ap p l y a d e n o v o s t an d ard o f rev i ew, an d we v i ew th e ev i d en ce, an d al lreas o n ab l e co n cl u s i o n s an d i n feren ces d rawn fro m i t , i n t h e l i g h t m o s t

fav o rab le t o th e n on m o v an t

.

(Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed

. ) Gr i

z zl e v. No r

s wo r t h y

, 2 9 2 Ga. Ap p

. 3 0 3, 3 0 3-3 0 4 (6 6 4 SE2 d

2 9 6 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

In 20 1 1

, Ed ward s ’ s m arri ag e was s t ru gg l i n g

. Sh e h i red an at t o rn ey

, wh o i s n ot

a p art y t o t h i s s u i t

, t o d raft a s ep arat i o n ag reem en t

. No t ab l y

, t h e ag reem en t p ro v i d ed

t h at Ed ward s wo ul d recei v e m o n t hl y a l i m o n y i n t h e am o u n t of $ 2,8 0 0 “ fo r s o l o n g

as t h e p art i es are l eg al l y s ep arat ed

, o r u n t i l M ay 1

, 2 02 6

, wh i ch ev er s h al l fi rs t o ccu r.”

It al s o p ro v i d e d t h a t i t wo u ld b e i n co rp orat ed i nt o t h e fi n al d i v o rce d ecree i f t h e

p art i es pro ceed ed t o d i vo rce. 1 T h e s ep arat i o n ag reem en t w as ex ecu t ed i n J u n e 2 0 1 1.

Ed ward s ’ s h u s b an d was n o t rep res en ted b y i n d ep en d en t co u n sel at t h e t i m e t h e

s ep arat i on ag reem en t was d raft ed o r ex ecu ted

.

In M arch 2 0 1 2

, t h e s ep arat io n ag reem en t was ap p ro ved an d i n co rp o rat ed i n to

a fi n al ju d g m en t i n Ed w ard s’ s s ep arat e m ai n t en an ce act i o n

. In Oct o b er o f t h at y ear,

1 Sp eci fi cal l y

, t h e s ep arat i o n ag reem en t p ro v i d ed t h at “ i n th e ev en t t h at ei t h er

p art y s h al l b ri n g o r m ai n t ai n an act i o n fo r d i s s ol u t i o n o f t h e m ari t al rel at i o ns h i p, o r

fo r sep arat e m ai n t en an ce, t h is ag reem en t s h al l b e p res en t e d t o t h e Co u rt an d

i n co rp o rat ed b y referen ce i n t o an y ju d g m en t o r d ecree co n cern i n g t he m at t ers

p ro v id ed h erei n.”

2Ed ward s ’ s h u s b a n d fi l ed fo r d i v o rce. 2 Du ri n g t h e p en d en cy of t h e d i v o rce act i o n,

Ed ward s h ired n ew co u n s el

, wh o is al s o n o t a p art y t o t h i s su i t

, t o rep res en t h er. 3 T h at

at t o rn ey fi l ed Ed w ard s ’ s veri fi ed an s wer an d co u n t er c l a i m s i n Au g u s t 2 0 1 3

. In h er

c oun t ercl ai m

, Ed ward s req u es t ed t h at t h e sep arat io n ag reem en t b e i n co rp orat ed i n the

fi nal d iv o rce j ud gm en t becau s e i t res o l v ed al l t h e is s u e s b et ween t h e p art i es

.

Fo l l o wi ng t h e wi t h d rawal o f Ed w ard s ’ s seco n d co un s el

, s h e r et ai ned M o o re to

rep res en t h er i n t h e d i v o rce.

Sh o rt l y t h ereaft er, Mo o re fi l ed Ed ward s ’ s m ot i o n fo r ju dg m en t o n t h e

p l ead i n g s

, co n t en di n g t hat al l of t h e is s u es i n t h e di v o rce, i n cl ud i n g al im on y

, were

res o l ved u nd er t h e s ep arat i o n a g r eem en t

. In A p ri l 2 0 1 4

, t h e p art i es fi l ed a jo i nt

co n sen t ag reem en t fo r ju d g m en t o n th e p lead i n g s

, an d t h e fo ll o wi n g d ay

, th e d i v o rce

co u rt en t ered i t s fi n al ju d g m en t an d d ecree, i n co rp o rat i n g t h e s et t l em en t ag reem en t

an d g ran t i n g t h e d i v o rce.

2 In h i s p et i t io n, E d ward s ’ s h u s ban d req u es t ed t h at t h e co u rt d et erm i n e

al i m o n y

, d es p i t e s eek i n g i n co rp o rat i o n o f t h e s ep arat i o n ag reem en t t o res ol v e o t h er

i s su es i n t h e d iv o rce, s u ch as p ro p ert y d i v i s i o n an d t h e p aren t i n g p l an

.

3 Ed ward s i n it i al l y ret ai ned t h e at t o rn ey wh o d raft ed t h e s ep arat i o n ag reem en t

t o rep res en t h er i n t h e d i v o rce, b u t t erm in at ed t h e rep res en tat i o n wh en s he h i red n ew

co u ns el

.

3Fo l l owi n g th e d i v o rce, Ed ward s ’ s fo rm er h u sb an d ceas ed pay in g al i m o n y

. He

t o o k t h e p o s i t i o n t h at h e w as n o l o n g er o b l i g at ed t o p ay al i m o n y un d er t h e set t l em en t

ag reem en t b ecau s e th e co u p l e was n o l on g er “ l eg al l y s ep ara t e d

. ” M o ore fi l ed

Ed ward s ’ s m o t i o n fo r co n tem pt fo r n o n p ay m en t o f al i m o n y

, b ut th e d iv o rce co u rt

d en ied t h e m o t i on

, f

i n d in g t h at u n d er t h e p lai n an d u n am b i g u o u s l an g u ag e o f t h e

al i m o n y p ro v is i on i n t h e s et t l em en t ag reem en t

, t h e hu s b an d was rel i ev ed fro m p ay i n g

al i m o n y o n ce t h e di v o rce was fi n al

. M o o re t h en m o v ed t o m o d i fy t h e fi n al ju d g m en t

,

b u t E d ward s t erm i n at ed M o o re d u ri n g t h e p en d en cy o f t h at m o t i o n a n d h i r e d h er

cu rren t co u n s el s h o rt l y

t h ereaft er.

A y ear l at er, E d ward s s u ed M o o re an d t h e t wo l aw fi rm s M o o re was affi l i at ed

wi t h

, b ri n g i n g cl ai m s fo r l eg a l m a l p ract i ce, b reach o f fi d u ci ary du t y

, b reach o f

co n t ract

, an d frau du l en t co n ceal m en t. An ex p ert affi d av i t was at t ach ed t o t h e

co m p l ai n t

, p u rs u an t t o OC GA § 9 -1 1 -9

. 1

. In t h e affi d av i t

, t he ex p ert op i n ed t h at

Defen d an t s b reach ed t he ap p l i cab l e s t an d ard o f care b y fai l i n g t o reco g n i ze t h at t h e

al i m o n y p ro v i s i o n i n t h e set tl em en t ag reem en t was u n fav o rab l e t o Ed ward s a n d b y

fai l i n g t o p u rs u e an al i m o n y award b efo re t h e d i v o rce co u rt . Defen dan t s m o v ed fo r

s u m m ary ju d g m en t

, an d Ed w ard s fi l ed a cro s s -m ot i o n fo r p art i al s u m m ary ju d g m en t

wi t h res p ect t o Defen d an t s’ l i ab i l i t y o n t h e m al pract i ce cl ai m

. Th e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed

4Defen d an t s ’ m o t i o n f o r s u m m ary ju d g m en t an d d en i ed Ed ward s’ s m ot i o n, fi n d i n g

t h at Ed ward s co u l d n o t p ro v e, as a m at t er of l aw, th at Defen d an t s p ro xi m at el y cau s ed

t h e ces s at i o n o f h er al i m o n y

, n o r co u l d s h e p ro v e her d am ag es

. Th i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

1

. E dw a r ds fi rs t arg ues t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y g ran ti n g D efen dan t s ’ m o t i o n

fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t b ecau s e i t im p ro p erl y c o n c l u d ed t h at t h e Set t l em en t

Ag ree m e nt, a s inc or

p o rat ed i n t o t h e fi n al d i vo rce d ecree, p recl u d ed her fro m p u rs u i n g

ei t h er al i m o n y i n h e r d i vo rce o r a m o d i fi cat i o n o f t h e am o un t i n th e fu t u re. In

res p o n s e, Defen d an t s co n t en d t h at Ed ward s can n o t s h o w t h at t h ei r act s were t h e

p ro x im at e cau s e o f d am ag es t o Ed ward s . W e ag ree wi th Defen d an t s

.

To p rev ai l o n a l eg al m al p ract i ce cl ai m

, a cl i en t m u s t p ro v e t h at (1 ) [s ] he

em p l o y ed t h e d efen d an t at t o rn ey ; (2 ) t he at t o rn ey fai led t o ex erci s e

o rd i nary care, s k i l l

, an d d i l i g en ce; an d (3 ) t h i s fai lu re was t h e p ro x i m at e

cau s e o f d am ag es t o t h e cl i en t

. To es t ab l i s h p ro xi m at e cau s e, t h e cl i en t

m u s t sh o w t hat b u t fo r t h e at t orn e y’s e r r o r, t h e o ut co m e wo ul d h av e

b een d i fferen t; an y l es s er req ui rem en t wo u l d i n v i te s pecu l at i o n an d

co n ject u re. Th e d efen d a n t at t o rn ey i s en t i t l ed t o su m m ary ju d g m en t i f

[s ] h e sh o ws t h a t t h e r e i s an ab s en ce o f p ro o f ad du ced b y t h e cl i en t o n

t h e i s s u e o f p ro x i m at e cau s e.

(Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .) Ben s o n v. W a r d

, 3 4 3 Ga. A p p

. 5 5 1

, 5 5 2 (8 0 7 SE2 d 4 7 1 ) (2 0 1 7 ).

As t o t h e fi rs t el em en t

, i t i s u n d i s pu t ed t h at Ed ward s em p l oy ed M o o re to

rep res en t h er d uri ng th e pen d en cy o f th e d i v o rce act i o n

. Pret erm it t i n g wh et h er t h ere

i s a q u es ti o n of fact as t o M o o re’ s al l eg ed fai l ure to ex erci s e ord i n ary care, s k i l l

, an d

5d i l i g en ce, Ed ward s h as fai l ed t o e s t a b l i s h a q u es t i o n o f fact as t o wh et h er M o o re’ s

co n du ct cau s ed h er d am ag es

, wh i ch is fat al to h er cas e. See Per r y v. O s s i ck

, 2 2 0 Ga.

Ap p . 2 6 , 2 9 (4 6 7 SE2 d 6 0 4 ) (1 9 9 6 ).

Ed war d s ’s t h eo ry i s t h at M o o re sh o ul d h av e am en d ed t he an s w er t o as s ert a

co u nt ercl ai m fo r al i m on y an d s o u g h t t o refo rm t h e s et t l e m e n t ag reem en t

, wh i ch

wo u l d h av e res u lt ed in he r obta ining a l im ony p o st -d iv o rce. Ho wev er, “ [a] cl i en t s u i n g

[h er] at t o rn ey fo r m al p ract ice n o t o n l y m u s t p r o v e t h at [h er] cl ai m was val i d an d

wo u l d h av e res u l t ed i n a ju dg m en t in [h er] fav or, b u t al s o th at s ai d ju d g m en t wo u ld

h av e b een co l l ect i bl e i n s o m e am o u n t

, fo r t h erei n l i es t h e m eas u re of [h er] d am ag es .”

(Ci t a t i o n o m i tt ed .) Per r

y

, 2 2 0 Ga. A p p

. at 2 9

. Pres u p p o si n g t h at t he d i v o rce co u rt

wo u l d h av e p erm i t t ed a d ep art u re fro m th e s ep arat i o n ag reem en t

, des p i t e t h e

i n c o r p o r a t i o n cl au s e p ro v i d i n g t h at i t w o u l d g ov ern t h e t erm s o f t h e fi n al d i v o rce,

t h er e i s n o ev id en ce t h at E d ward s wo u ld h av e s ucceed ed o n a co un t ercl ai m fo r

al i m o n y , n o r i s t h ere ev id en ce o f wh at t h e m eas u re o f h er d am ag es wo u l d b e. 4

4 Ed ward s ap p ears t o t ak e t h e p o si t io n t h at s he wo u ld be en t i t l ed t o t he $ 2 ,8 0 0

m o nt h l y al im o ny p ay m en t s u n t i l M ay 2 0 2 6 un d er t h e s ep arat io n ag reem en t

, ev en i f

t h e co u rt p erm it t ed t h e p art ies t o d ep art fro m o r refo rm

t h e ag reem en t

.

6Ed ward s had n o i n h eren t ri gh t t o al i m o n y

. “ [A] l i m o ny i s au t h o ri zed

, b u t i s n ot

r eq u ir ed

, t o be award ed t o ei t h er p art y i n acco rd an ce wi t h t h e need s o f t he p art y an d

t h e ab il i t y o f th e o t h er p a r t y t o p ay .” (Em p h as i s s u p p l ied .) OCGA § 1 9 -6 -1 (c).

No t ab l y

, o th er t h an a let t er i n w h i c h E d ward s ’ s fo rm er h u s b an d i n d i cat ed t h at h e

co u ld n o l o n g er s u s tai n t h e ch i l d s u p p o rt an d al im on y p ay m en t s

, t h ere is n o ev i d en ce

o f h er fo rm er h u s ban d ’ s fi n an ci al s t at u s

, h i s an n u al i n co m e, o r h i s as s et s t h at wo u ld

s u p p ort an award of al i m on y in h er fav o r b as ed on h i s ab i l i t y t o p a y

. See i d .; cf.

S z u r o vy v. O l d

er ma n

, 2 43 Ga. Ap p

. 4 4 9

, 4 5 2 (5 3 0 SE2 d 7 83 ) (2 0 0 0 ) (p l ai n t i ff co u ld

n o t s ho w t hat

, b u t fo r her co un s el ’ s act i on s

, sh e co ul d hav e n eg o t i a t e d a fav o rab l e

al i m o n y p ro vi s i o n i n a s et t l em en t ag reem en t wh ere th ere was n o ev i d en ce o f h er

fo rm er hu s ban d ’ s fi n an ci al s t at u s

, in co m e, o r as s et s ). Ed ward s t h us can n o t s h o w t h at

“ b u t fo r [Defen d an t s ’ ] erro r, t h e o u t co m e wo u ld h av e b een di fferen t ,” an d t h erefo re

h as fai l ed t o es tab l i s h p ro x i m at e cau s at i o n

. (Ci tat i o n o m i t t ed .) S z u r ovy

, 2 4 3 Ga. Ap p.

at 4 5 1 -4 5 2

.

7M o reo v er, Ed ward s ’ s cl ai m fo r d am ag es i s en t i rel y s pecu l at i v e. 5 An d “ i n t h e

ab s en ce o f an y s h o wi ng of h arm

, t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce t hat an y al l eg ed neg l i g en ce was

t h e p ro x i m at e cau s e o f d am ag e t o t h e p l ai n ti ff.” Id

. at 4 5 2. Acco rd i n g l y

, we fi n d n o

erro r i n t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o D efen dan t s o n Ed w ard s ’ s l eg al

m al p ract i ce cl ai m

. 6

2

. In l i g h t o f o u r h o ld i n g i n Di v is i on 1

, Ed ward s ’ s rem ai n i ng en u m erat i o n

reg ard i n g t h e tri a l co u rt ’ s d en i al o f her m o t i o n fo r p art i al s u m m ary ju d g m en t as to

Defen d an t s ’ l i ab i l i t y

o n t he m al p ract i ce cl ai m i s wi th o ut m eri t

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Do yl e, P. J., a n d

Co o mer , J., co n cu r

.

5 Ed ward s ’ s ex p ert wi t n es s ack n o w l ed g ed th at Ed w ard s ’s d am ag es are

s p ecu l at i v e u n der t hes e ci rcu m s t an ces

. At h i s d ep o s i ti o n, t h e ex p ert was as ked

, “ Sh e

wan ted m o re, an d M r. Ed ward s wan t ed t o p ay l es s

. Is t h ere an y way t o k n o w h o w t h at

wo u l d h av e co m e o u t ? ” To wh i ch h e res p o n d ed , “ No .”

6 Ed ward s d id n o t en u m erat e as erro r t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i ng on her ot h er cl ai m s

,

an d d i d no t refer t o t h em i n her i n i t i al bri efi n g

, t h o ug h s h e d i d rai s e t h em i n h er rep l y

b ri ef. Ho wev er, “ t h i s Co u rt wi l l n o t co ns i d er arg u m en t s rai s ed fo r t h e fi rs t t i m e i n a

rep l y b ri ef.” (Ci t at i on o m i t t ed .) Ba r r o n v. W el ls F a r g o B an k, N.A.

, 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p

. 1 8 0,

1 8 7 (4 ) (7 6 9 SE2 d 8 30 ) (2 0 1 5 ).

8